The present invention relates to a retainer clip for selectively retaining two parts which are pivotally movable relative to one another and more particularly to a retaining clip for use with a toe panel in an appliance.
Oftentimes appliances such as dryers used in the home have a toe panel which is a relatively short panel at the bottom of the front wall of the appliance cabinet which is removable to provide access to various working parts or controls in the use of a tool, in order to avoid access to this area by children and to prevent accidental dislodging of the toe panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,113,687 discloses a meter closure fastener which includes a hook formed of a spring material, the shank being connected to the meter box by a rivet at one end and having an outturned angular end at an opposite, free end which engages into a slot of a tubular keeper. Access to the plate is available only through an opening which is normally covered by a material such as a sheet of glass so that the glass must first be broken in order to gain access to the latch. The latch is then operated by a tool such as a screw driver to disengage the angular end of the hook from the slot of the keeper. This permits a first half of the box to pivot away from a second half of the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,307 discloses a refrigerator cabinet having a removable panel which has an inwardly turned flange, around the entire inside perimeter of the panel. A pair of springs are provided at each lateral lower corner of the refrigerator cabinet which have hooked ends that are first engaged into the upturned flange along a lower edge of the removable panel. The panel is then lifted upwardly against the spring such that the upper downwardly turned flange is captured in the groove formed in the upper edge of the resilient block provided at each lateral upper edge of the opening which the panel is to cover. Removal of the panel takes place in the opposite order, that is by first lifting the top downturned flange out of the grooves and then moving the panel downwardly to release the lower flange from the springs. No tools are required for removal of the panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,518 discloses a safety latch for boxes which includes a box and a hinging cover with a spring latch mounted inside of the box by means of a bolt. The spring latch has marginal portions turned over which engage in recesses in a bracket secured to a pivotable lid of the box. The latch is released by means of a tool such as a screw driver which is inserted through an opening formed in the box lid, an opening 24 in the bracket end and an opening 31 in the spring latch.
With respect to a toe panel for an appliance, it is important that the toe panel be retained in a specific horizontal and vertical position relative to the cabinet. It would be an advantageous development if a fastening or retaining device were provided for such a panel which would provide the horizontal and vertical locating of the panel relative to the frame.